


The Art of Mishap: An Examination of Tasertricks Fanfiction and Loki’s Psyche

by amidtheflowers



Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Analysis, Essay, Gen, loki x darcy - Freeform, of character development and lack thereof, tasertricks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-15
Updated: 2013-06-15
Packaged: 2017-12-15 02:34:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amidtheflowers/pseuds/amidtheflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My thoughts and analysis of tasertricks fanfiction, reflection on my own tasertricks stories, and the several problematic themes with this ship especially in concerns of Darcy's agency and Loki's characterization.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Mishap: An Examination of Tasertricks Fanfiction and Loki’s Psyche

**Author's Note:**

> My analysis focuses on stories with Loki in a redemption arc, that sticks as close to canon as possible. This does not apply to AU, or otherwise cracked fics. I didn't write this to say, "NO! _This_ is how to write fanfiction.", but to merely analyze the current trends and my concerns with how poorly a redemption arc can be done.
> 
> This meta was written before the release of Thor 2. I will not answer any comments that expand on Darcy or Loki's portrayal after The Avengers.
> 
> **July 2014: It's been more than a year since I wrote this meta, and I'm still getting scathing comments on how utterly wrong I am in this analysis. It has only proven my point of the existing sexism and misogyny of Loki (and fanfics of Loki) the fandom has been polarized to believe as acceptable. This meta was supposed to be about how _Darcy_ is written so poorly when paired with Loki, and the feedback I got in return was defending Loki's actions and concluding Darcy is unworthy of being written like an actual human woman. To say I'm disappointed in a fandom and a ship I once loved would be putting it mildly.**
> 
> I will no longer be replying to any comments on this meta. 

 

Let me set up some groundwork here before I let it all loose. I joined the tasertricks fandom almost exactly a year ago, give or take a week. I watched _Thor_ for the first time in May 2012, and fell in love instantly with the twisted and damaged character that was Loki Laufeyson. Since this time, I have written 35 stories, 2 poems, and 2 drabbles for tasertricks, made 5 terrible gifsets, and attempted the crappiest graphic known to man for these two. I am currently attempting to fully write an AU Norsemyth story before publishing it to ffnet and AO3, but haven’t touched it in a few months, for reasons I had trouble explaining until now.

 

Loki x Darcy is a tricky ship (no pun intended). It’s a _crackship_ , so we’ve already stumbled across our first hurdle, and I’ve been an outspoken defender of the plausibility of this ship with a female character we know virtually _nothing_ about, except her name, her major, and her fondness of tasers.

 

When I entered the tasertricks fandom I knew I had my work cut out for me. My policy has been that when I write their interaction and build a relationship for them, there **must** be a thorough reason of how such a relationship is possible. My conscious rarely ever let me write a oneshot with these two without thoroughly explaining why and how Loki could accept Darcy, and Darcy could live with herself to be with someone like Loki. Except the oneshots/smutshots I wrote that went straight into the relationship, I’ve been true to my word.

 

What I find disconcerting is the amount of stories I’ve come across that **_skip_** this entirely, and justify Loki’s actions to the point where premeditated murder is something irrelevant, untouched, and forgiven for the green-eyed immortal.

 

Now, depending on the fic, we’re dealing with movieverse, norsemyth, and comicverse for their baseline. I’m not going to pretend I know anything more than movieverse--I never read the comics, but I have done a little bit of research in them as well as the norsemyth for the sake of knowledge on Loki’s psyche. What I found was not pleasant.

 

I will be focusing mostly on movieverse today.

 

** THOR **

 

In _Thor_ , we are immediately introduced to Loki as a second son, bitter of his brother’s coronation. He:

 

  * Smuggles in Frost Giants to prevent Thor from becoming king
  * Manipulates Thor into going to Jotunheim, which causes not only a casualty for Fandral, but Thor’s indefinite banishment
  * After finding out he is a _Laufeyson_ and Odin slips into his Odinsleep, his temporary duties to the throne involve a second trip to Jotunheim to lead the Frost Giants into Asgard (a doubleplay eventually), as well as sending down the Destroyer to kill his brother.
  * Had Thor not become worthy, Loki would have succeeded in his death.
  * Unleashes the full power of the bifrost
  * Duels with Thor, and basically commits suicide when he realizes he will not be accepted



 

** AVENGERS/POST-AVENGERS **

 

  * Within twenty seconds of Loki’s first appearance, he kills all but 3-4 Shield agents inside the room with the Tesseract.
  * Attempts to enslave humanity, starting at Stuttgart and terrifies them into submission.
  * Takes out a man’s fucking eye and _smirks_ about it.
  * Questions Thor’s immortality and seals him in the glass cage, sending him hurtling down to his doom
  * Let’s loose an army of aliens upon humanity (that does nothing more than mindless killing)
  * Gets shipped back to Asgard in chains



 

 

There’s a lot of debate on the last one with _Thor_ , that maybe he knew he would fall into a wormhole that would lead him to some safety, but we don’t know. All we know is that he let go, and eventually made a deal with Thanos which leads to _The Avengers_.

 

Since some stories use _Thor_ as their base, and do not go into Avengersverse, I’ll begin there.

 

Let’s see. Genocide, fratricide, and manipulating his way to keep rule the kingdom of Asgard? These are all serious, _serious_ issues here, ones that should not be downplayed or justified with “he was resentful of Thor’s glory”, “neglected by Odin”, “he never wanted the throne, he just wanted to be an equal!” and my personal favorite, “Loki is misunderstood”.

 

Let me put some emphasis on this.

 

_These do not justify murder_.

 

They do not. No. You cannot tell me that if I was your friend and I went killed your cat, I’d be forgiven because I just wanted us to be equals??? Please, please, just _stop_.

 

What I _will_ settle at, is that Loki has had all the shit hit all the fans of the universe. He is at the lowest of lows, right now. In the ending after the credits, we can clearly see Loki is half-insane, deranged, and damaged. Not irreparably, but damaged all the same. He’s using his magic already to control Erik Selvig at Shield HQ, and has already started planning to take the Tesseract.

 

What most authors will do in tasertricks fanfiction at this point is start the redemption arc. A few good deeds wash away filth, and while I am certainly not opposed to redemption, I _am_ opposed to unrealistic romance. Romanticizing death and psychotic murder is pretty much the theme of tasertricks lately. Here is where we insert Darcy—wonderful, badass, lovable Darcy Lewis, there to make Loki a better man and cleanse his sins to start his life anew.

 

I’m not saying this is wrong. Write it. _I’ve_ written it. What disturbs me is how lightly Loki’s past is taken, as well as his character, and how quickly his faults are tossed aside. He’s not a lovable plush toy waiting to be hugged. A kiss will not cure him of the evil festering in his heart. Sex most certainly will not cure him either. Loki has lived thousands of years, I’m pretty sure he knows the birds and bees at this point, and knowing Loki’s personality, something like physical desire and lust are about as important to him as Thor’s boots. If anything, sex would be a means to an end for Loki, something we should keep in mind when pairing him off with in a relationship.

 

Write a redemption arc, but you cannot have redemption without sin. Loki’s sins are high and mighty. Loki is a trickster, mischief-maker, and a liar. He turned against his foster family, killed hundreds of people unrepentantly, manipulates to his advantage, and has no real remorse for his actions. We _cannot_ forget this. We cannot forgive this fact in the first five seconds of his introduction in a fanfic. You can’t just disregard something like that, and that’s the problem I’ve had with tasertricks lately. The fact that there is literally _no effort made_ in maintaining that Loki is a fucking psychotic murderer fallen from grace, and he _enjoyed it_. He enjoyed every second of it. So many people, an alarming amount of people, think that if Loki looks sorry enough, Darcy could get over that fact.

 

You’re not only discrediting Darcy’s rationality, but undermining Loki’s intelligence and self-awareness. Loki _knew_ what he was doing. He knew the consequences. And he did it without remorse. He did not care who died in his quest for power, and he certainly didn’t give a shit about humanity. Twice so far he has destroyed earth’s cities (Puente Antiguo and New York City), and twice he cared less about what happened to the human race in the aftermath.

 

My problem with the fanfics is just…a general lack of effort to justify a relationship between him and Darcy. For the fanfics that say they are sticking with canon, they sure do love to ignore the details of who exactly Loki is. We’re so stuck up on how ridiculously handsome Loki is, how potent he is under all that leather and metal, that a show of crocodile penance will earn him Darcy’s acceptance.

 

Since most of us have established Darcy as a brilliant, outspoken, and independent woman, having her ultimately jump over those details is ridiculous and implausible, and it’s really disappointing how so many have portrayed him.

 

It may be my nature of fiercely clinging to canon, but that’s my belief. Loki is a happy monster, Darcy is skeptical. Building a bridge between these two takes time and effort—glorifying his mistakes and warping them into  the faults of others, is not the way to go.

 

Now with the Avengers, it gets even worse. Subjugation of a planet, plotting with Thanos, trying to kill his brother _again_ , and did I mention enslaving humanity? Along with his scepter that lulls people into total submission, he’s pretty fucking terrifying at this point, and even more ruthless than he was in _Thor_.  He rips out a dude’s _eyeball_ to get a clean scan for entry. He honestly believes the human race is beneath him, and thinks as much on his flashy trip back home with Thor.

 

Again. You _can’t_ just forget these details. It’s not _believable_ to read a story where he does all these horrible things and Darcy’s just “Welp! I forgive ya, since I don’t know ya. You seem pretty chill. Let’s listen to Zeppelin and drink wine.”

 

And this is what’s frustrating me! Dear lord the amount of fics that go again with the misunderstood theme, try a redemption arc, and just brush past the shitty things Loki was going to do to humanity! Darcy Lewis is not going to forget something like this, jeasoidfsus

 

And if, _if_ you decide to have Darcy react this way, then fine—but Loki will not. It is in his _nature_ to fool and manipulate others, and if the damn Asgardians couldn’t protect themselves from his silver tongue, Darcy sure as hell isn’t immune.

 

This is drawn out and kinda ridiculous by now, but this has all lead me to say, I am frustrated. I’m frustrated with tasertricks fics, frustrated that the level of plausibility has dipped to _zero_. And, like I mentioned with my rumbelle rant in yesterday’s post, everyone just takes the abusive, bipolar nature of Loki’s written character and somehow dubs it as irresistible for Darcy. He’s a maniac who threatens her, chokes her, hurts her, and yet she’ll forgive him and love him without much penitence. I don’t know if this is a current trend, a morbid fascination with abuse, I don’t know. But too many people are approaching Loki’s shitty character and romanticizing it as some delectable, pleasurable treat for Darcy. It is disturbing and I _cannot_ read abuse without at least purpose and development to plot.

 

Fanfiction, as I’ve said a dozen times, has taken Loki’s faults and romanticized them as an aperture to Darcy’s affections.  It’s getting repetitive, and it’s getting less and less believable.

 

The only way I was able to agree with this ship last year was because the fanfic writers had taken this crackship, and birthed it into something working and understandable. I fell in love with the sheer amount of possibilities with the tasertricks ship, with how one will reach around the other, how they could influence each other—good or bad. How much Loki would have to give in order to receive pardon. How their relationship would be dysfunctional _because_ of who they are. There is no perfection for these two—at least, not at first. Loki’s mind is a black abyss, and in order to even attempt understanding it, it takes a little more than a wink and a beer to erase the blood on his hands.

 

I’ve left this part last, because I feel like it’s a good thing to remember before you exit this screen.

 

Loki and Women.

 

After seeing _Thor_ and _The Avengers_ , we can safely assume Loki does not give two shits about women—or at least, human women. In _Thor_ he refers to Jane derogatively, saying that perhaps he would ‘pay her a visit’ himself after she managed to get Thor to grow so soft. In _The Avengers_ , there is the infamous ‘mewling quim’ scene with Natasha at his cell, where he implies that he would end her slowly, intimately, and use Clint Barton to rape her then kill her.

 

Both of these are throwaway insults to their gender, debasing them as only good for sex; they are disposable, useful in manipulation and getting his way, and first and foremost a means to an end. He sees Natasha not as a woman who can bring down a man in less than three moves, but more of a whore who can take care of herself. Loki does not differentiate status from these two examples—Jane Foster, a scientist, and Natasha Romanoff, a federal agent. He doesn’t care much about them nor does he have a true distinction in ranks for women, because in the end, in his eyes, they’re all the same—wriggling ants under his boot. He means to rule them, that is all.

 

Which is a healthy reminder when we write him with Darcy. He won’t particularly care that she’s working at an intern position, versus Natasha who’s working at a government level. In the end they are just women, and women are not ranked very high in his books. He certainly doesn’t respect them, and he certainly wouldn’t start to after being imprisoned at the end of _The Avengers_. Having him care for Darcy would need a lot, _a lot_ of character development.

 

This  brings me to my own fanfiction. I’ve been a little disappointed with things I’ve written myself, because as the months wore on I realized all the things my stories severely lacked. “Divinity” is a huge factor here. I can’t finish the last damn chapter because I don’t believe the second one was correct. I don’t agree with the setup I made, and I don’t believe it to be possible. With “Mischief Unmanaged”, I did succeed in maintaining Loki’s psychotic nature and his violence, but I just can’t seem to move on. I’m at a stalemate with this ship as well as with my own fics.

 

I hope I can rekindle the passion I had for this ship—god knows, I still love them together. I _want_ to finish my stories for them. But until I can figure out a way to write them the way they ought to be written, I will not damage the stories any further.

 

Thank you for reading this. I hope you can see where I’ve come from! This isn’t me trying to sound like an uppity know-it-all, this is just my interpretation for this particular ship, and of Loki. If you have any suggestions or comments further on the matter, I would love to hear your input.

 

This is by no means any substantial meta. I haven’t sourced anything and I didn’t delve into the more interesting topics like Norsemyth and comicverse. Norsemyth would have brought down the damn house with the way history wrote Loki—100000000x worse than the movies—but I felt most people would be more familiar with movieverse.


End file.
